Curated by RESBAK

Fundraising through: https://gogetfunding.com/paaral-fund-2/

Lt. Hermes Papauran, one of the premiere investigators in the Philippines, has reached a stark moral crossroads; he is witness to his institution's part in a murderous anti-drug campaign, one spearheaded by the president of the country, Rodrigo Duterte. When newly elected, Duterte’s biggest act was launching his so-called war against drugs. Extra-judicial killings attributed to drugs have become rampant yet most of the crimes are connected to the police. The atrocities physically and spiritually corrode Papauran and he suffers from severe psoriasis, a skin disease resulting from insidious anxiety. A dark past haunts him and it has finally returned for a reckoning, for closure.

The RESBAKan Paaral Fundraiser is an initiative aimed at giving financial support to orphaned children who have been tragically affected by the “war on drugs” in the Philippines. Many of these families lack the financial means to pay tuition, and other school supplies. Social class and poverty limit their access to education. As a result, they continue to face generational and structural disadvantages and justice and recovery is denied. The eradication of this organized abandonment is the only answer. On the path to achieving this, we must provide for one another in networks of solidarity. These Sunday screenings will revolve around two films by two Filipino artists and filmmakers that seek to draw attention to the brutal drug war waged by former President Rodrigo Duterte between 2016 and 2022. Afterwards, we will engage in a conversation with the filmmakers and with survivors as we share stories over dinner.

RESBAK (REspond and Break the Silence Against the Killings) traces its beginnings to Duterte’s first year in office in 2016. An alliance of art, media, and cultural workers, it has employed a range of visual strategies to protest against human rights violations, while organizing flexible and inventive responses to address pragmatic needs.

To learn more about RESBAK, please visit us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For inquiries, please email resbak_artists@protonmail.com.

Supported by: Advancing Philippine Studies Series, ALPAS Pilipinas, GABRIELA Germany, Interflugs, philippinenbuero